In August 1990 Iraq
invaded the Gulf state of Kuwait, setting off a chain of events that
led to a war with the West.

19902 August: Iraqi troops
invade Kuwait, taking the emirate in one day. The BBC's John Simpson says
the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is "by far the strongest leader in the
region". In his report he explains how the West inadvertently helped bring
about the invasion6 August: The United Nations Security Council demands an "immediate
and unconditional" withdrawal of Iraqi troops and orders a trade boycott

8 August:
The US launches Operation Desert Shield. Baghdad announces Kuwait is
now part of Iraq.9 August: Iraq closes its borders.10 August: The Arab League meets in Cairo and votes by a
narrow margin to send Egyptian, Syrian and Moroccan troops to join
the Western troops.15 August: Iran and Iraq reopen diplomatic relations after
Iraq proposes peace talks.18 August: Iraq says the nationals of "hostile countries"
still in Kuwait will be held as "guests" at strategic sites in
Kuwait.

25 August: The UN Security
Council authorizes the use of force to make the trade boycott work.17 October: Western troops in the Gulf number 200,000 US troops,
15,000 UK troops and 11,000 French troops.29 November: The UN Security Council says Iraq must voluntarily
withdraw from Kuwait by 15 January 1991. It authorizes "all necessary
means" to force Iraq out if it does not comply. Baghdad rejects the
"ultimatum". In his report the BBC's Brian Hanrahan says: "President Bush
is under pressure not to be hasty."30 November: US President Bush invites Iraq to join direct talks.6 December: Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein announces the release of
3,000 foreign nationals being held in Iraq and Kuwait.

1991

15 January: Iraq ignores the
UN ultimatum. There are 580,000 allied troops in the Gulf, against 540,000
Iraqi troops.17 January: Operation Desert Storm is launched, with air attacks on
Iraq and Kuwait. The BBC's John Simpson is in Baghdad and witnesses the
missile attacks. "The bombs and the missiles seem mainly to have landed
with pin-point accuracy," he reports the next day. 18 January: The first of several Iraqi scud missiles attacks on Tel
Aviv. The US warns Israel against retaliation saying it is an attempt to
widen the war and break up the opposition.20 January: Iraqi television broadcasts pictures of seven captured
allied airmen.24 January: Allied forces capture the small island of Qarawa.

29 January:
The US and the Soviet Union offer to declare a ceasefire if Iraq
pledges to withdraw from Kuwait.13 February: An allied missile lands on an air-raid shelter
in Baghdad, killing at least 314 people. Iraqi officials take the
BBC's Jeremy Bowen to see the aftermath. He is accompanied at all
times but he says the grief and anger is not a propaganda stunt.24 February: President Bush announces the start of a ground
operation. Allied forces commander General Norman Schwarzkopf says
it is a "spectacular success". 25 February: Iraqi scud missile hits building in Dhahran,
Saudi Arabia, killing 28 US troops and injuring 98

26 February:
Saddam Hussein confirms a Radio Baghdad report that Iraqi troops
have been ordered to retreat from Kuwait. But he does not renounce
claims to Kuwait.27 February: The first Kuwaiti troops enter Kuwait City and
President Bush announces the liberation of Kuwait. He announces the
cessation of hostilities will be effective from 0400 GMT the
following day. The allies say they have destroyed more than half the
Iraqi divisions and captured 500,000 prisoners.28 February: Iraq accepts all UN resolutions